Lemon Meringue Pie

Unbalanced

% Daily Values based on a 2,000 calorie diet

Step 1

Whisk egg yolks in a medium sized bowl and set aside. Have your butter, zest and lemon juice in small bowls ready to add.

Step 2

In a heavy bottom saucepan, combine sugar, cornstarch, salt and cold water. Use a silicone spatula to combine (do not use a whisk with this recipe).

Step 3

Cook on medium heat and stirring frequently, bring mixture to a boil (once boiling, mixture will thicken and turn a pearly white color). Once mixture thickens, boil for 2 minutes while stirring constantly. Remove from heat.

Step 4

Quickly stir a spoonful of the very hot mixture into the egg yolks (stir quickly so the egg yolks do not cook). One at a time, add another 4-5 big spoonfuls of the hot mixture to the egg yolks and stir well between each spoonful.

Step 5

Add the egg mixture back into the saucepan and stir well.

Step 6

Return to medium heat and cook, stirring constantly with spatula, for 1 minute. Add in the butter and stir to combine for 1 more minute. Add in the lemon juice and zest and stir to combine (no longer than 1 additional minute!!)

Step 7

Immediately pull off heat and pour into prepared crust.

Step 8

If doing a hot filling meringue: spread meringue immediately over hot pie and seal to edges. Use back of spoon to make swirls, peaks, etc. Bake until lightly brown at 325 degrees for 12-15 minutes. (Speed method – put pie on middle rack under low broiler heat and don’t take your eyes off it as it browns). Let pie sit on cooling rack until it comes to room temperature (1-2 hours) and bottom is no longer warm. Refrigerate pie for 3-6 hours or overnight before serving.

Step 9

If doing a chilled filling meringue: let pie sit on a cooling rack until it comes to room temperature (1-2 hours) and bottom is no longer warm. Refrigerate pie for 3-6 hours or overnight. Make and cook meringue right before serving (325 for 12-15 minutes). After cooking meringue, let pie stand 15 minutes before cutting.

Step 10

Meringue: Beat egg whites and cream of tartar until foamy. Slowly add in sugar one tablespoon at a time and beat until it forms stiff peaks.